The Dodgers’ Chase Utley slides hard into second and upends Mets’ second baseman Ruben Tejada in the seventh inning. Utley was called safe and Tejada suffered a broken leg on the play and left the game.

NEW YORK – Chase Utley’s game-changing takeout slide of Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada in Game 2 of the NL Division Series between the Dodgers and Mets touched off an emotional debate about the violent play that seemed to break down along partisan lines.

Mets players were angry about what they repeatedly called more tackle than slide and Mets fans called for blood on social media. From the Dodgers’ side, Tejada’s injury was seen as the unfortunate consequence of hard-nosed play – the neighborhood play in a very rough neighborhood, if you will. Utley even reportedly reached out to Tejada through Mets third baseman David Wright Saturday night to offer an apology, saying he felt “terrible” about the injury.

MLB’s chief baseball officer Joe Torre came down firmly on one side of the argument Sunday night, suspending the Dodgers infielder for Games 3 and 4 of the NLDS for what he called an “illegal slide.”

Torre was in attendance at Dodger Stadium on Saturday night to see the play first hand and afterward expressed his concern that Utley had gone “over the top” in his attempt to break up a critical double play in the seventh inning of Game 2. Torre did offer support for the umpiring crew, second-base umpire Chris Guccione in particular, after the game. But Sunday’s ruling would seem to clearly indicate Utley should have been ruled out, giving the Mets a double play that would have ended the inning with the Mets’ 2-1 lead intact. The Dodgers went on to score four runs after a replay review ruled Tejada had failed to touch second base.

“As I said after the game, the determination of whether a baserunner has intentionally interfered with a player attempting to turn a double play is left to the judgment of the umpire on the field and that judgment call is not subject to review,” Torre said in a statement announcing the suspension. “I should add that determining where to draw the line between an illegal slide and a legitimate hard play is an extremely difficult call for our umpires.

“However, after thoroughly reviewing the play from all conceivable angles, I have concluded that Mr. Utley’s action warrants discipline. While I sincerely believe that Mr. Utley had no intention of injuring Ruben Tejada and was attempting to help his club in a critical situation, I believe his slide was in violation of Official Baseball Rule 5.09 (a)(13) which is designed to protect fielders from precisely this type of rolling block that occurs away from the base.”

Torre’s statement was quickly followed by one from Utley’s agent, Joel Wolfe, saying Utley would appeal the suspension “immediately.” MLB is expected to expedite the hearing of that appeal so that the matter is settled before Game 3 of the Dodgers-Mets series Monday night.

“A two-game suspension for a legal baseball play is outrageous and completely unacceptable,” Wolfe said. “Chase did what all players are taught to do in this situation – break up the double play. We routinely see plays at second base similar to this one that have not resulted in suspensions. Chase feels terrible about Ruben Tejada’s injury and everyone who knows him knows that he would never intentionally hurt anybody.”

Twitter was filled with screen grabs and gifs Sunday proving Wolfe’s point. Similar plays (some involving Mets players delivering the takeout slides) including one that ended Pirates shortstop Jung Ho Kang’s season in mid-September did not draw suspensions.

“I look at it as a baseball play,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said Sunday afternoon before the suspension was announced. “It was a hard, aggressive, legal slide to me.

“Our organization is proud of the way Chase plays. We love the way he plays. He’s got a reputation for playing the game right, playing it hard and we’re behind him 100 percent.”

At the time, Mattingly said it was “definitely a possibility” that Utley would be in the starting lineup for Game 3 despite the possibility of retaliation by the Mets. Utley is 6 for 18 with a double and a home run off the Mets’ Game 3 starter, Matt Harvey.

The Mets released a statement Sunday night saying they support the suspension and “feel this was the appropriate course of action. With this decision behind us, the team and our fans can now focus on playing winning baseball.”

Mattingly called Tejada “courageous” for standing in against Utley. But he pointed a finger at the New York media and claimed a double standard in the way Utley is being vilified.

“Their captain, David Wright, (if he) comes into (Dodgers rookie shortstop Corey) Seager and slides like that – the exact same slide – and let’s say he didn’t get hurt, there would be rumblings but it goes away,” Mattingly said. “It would have just been a hard slide.

“If it would have been their guy, they would be saying, ‘David Wright, hey, he’s a gamer. He went after him. That’s the way you gotta play.’ But it’s our guy so it’s different. I know how the New York media gets a little bit going and it gets dramatic. But for me, you can’t have it both ways. If David would have did it, it wouldn’t have been any problem here in New York.”

Mattingly would not say if Seager will start at shortstop Monday. If he does, the rookie could also be in the line of fire.

“You expect everybody to slide hard. You have to be ready,” Seager said. “You either have to take one for the team and make the play or get out of the way.”

In 13 years with the Philadelphia Phillies, Utley has had more than his share of contentious moments with the NL East rival Mets. In 2010, the Mets took umbrage at another takeout slide involving Utley and Tejada. And in April of this season, Harvey drilled Utley in the back with a pitch (then stared him down as Utley trotted to first base) after two Mets’ batters had been hit by the Phillies pitcher.

Harvey was asked if he felt the same responsibility to send a message Monday night.

“I think the most important thing is going out and doing my job and doing what’s best for the team,” Harvey said. “For me, in my mind, that’s going out and pitching a long game and being out there as long as I can and keeping zeroes on the board.

“As far as sticking up for your teammates, I think being out there and doing what’s right is exactly what I’m going to do.”

NOTES

Utley was checked for a concussion after the collision with Tejada on Saturday and “came out fine,” Mattingly said. … Collins announced that left-hander Steven Matz will start Game 4 for the Mets. Matz has not pitched since Sept. 24 due to pain in his upper back. He has made just six big-league starts but is 4-0 with a 2.27 ERA. Mattingly was not ready to name the Dodgers’ Game 4 starter, saying it would be a choice between Alex Wood or Clayton Kershaw on short rest with the outcome Monday being one factor in determining which starter gets the ball on Tuesday. … The Mets are expected to replace Tejada on their roster for Game 3 with Matt Reynolds. A 24-year-old shortstop prospect out of Arkansas, Reynolds hit .267 at Triple-A Las Vegas and has never played in the big leagues. If he appears in the postseason with the Mets this fall, he would become only the second player in baseball history to make his big-league debut in the postseason (according to Elias Sports Bureau). Wilmer Flores is expected to replace Tejada as the Mets’ starting shortstop.

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